When is my baby ready for weaning?

Published 14th December 2017

Weaning is a big and exciting step in your baby’s development, but how do you know when your little one is ready for their first solid foods?

While every baby is different, in most cases weaning should start when they are around six months old1. The Department of Health and the World Health Organization both recommend waiting until this age, and that parents should definitely not be introducing solid foods before four months. Waiting until the six month age gives your baby’s digestive system the chance to develop fully which will help it cope when solid foods are introduced.

Until this point, babies can get all the nourishment they need from breast or formula milk, while breast milk will also help to protect your baby against infections2.

However, just because baby turns six months old it’s important that you’re sure they are actually ready to start having their first food. Look out for the following three signs, which together, give a clear indication they are ready for their weaning journey to begin3.

They can sit up and stay in that position while also holding their head steady.

They have learnt how to co-ordinate their eyes, hands and mouth, enabling them to look at food, pick it up and put it in their mouth.

They can swallow food. If your baby isn’t quite ready they’ll push food out of their mouth with their tongue.

Your baby might also start making chewing motions and take an interest in your food when you’re eating, and together with the above are good signs that your little one can start to wean.

There are a few other common signs that can easily be mistaken as clues that baby is ready for first foods, and these include chewing their fists, waking in the middle of the night when they have previously slept through and wanting extra milk feeds as they continue to grow.

It’s very common for babies to experience growth spurts in the first six months, which inevitably leads to an increase in hunger, but it’s important not to confuse this with the real signs of weaning listed above.

Speak to your GP or midwife if you’re unsure about when weaning should start or for help spotting the signals that baby is ready.